7 Books I Can’t Wait to Read in October

In this sharp and suspenseful sequel to Sleeping with Friends, a reluctant detective investigates a suspicious death, the party where it happened and the secrets no one’s willing to tell. Book editor Agnes never anticipated gaining notoriety after solving the attempted murder of her best friend, but she’s suddenly swept up in a world of luxury and New York’s movers and shakers—including the enigmatic heiress Charlotte Bond, who soon dies at a party. When police dismiss the death as accidental, Agnes takes on New York society, digging into the details of that night and finding that the sparkling veneer of wealth and success hides plenty of blemishes.

Told in five phases—Single, True Love, Pregnancy, Baby and Ongoing—this collection of essays by comedian, co-creator of Marcel the Shell, and New York Times bestselling author of Little Weirds, Jenny Slate, is about the journey into motherhood. Taking the form of letters to a doctor, dreams of a stork, fantasy therapy sessions, excerpts from an imaginary olden timey play, theories about post-partum hair loss and more, Lifeform documents Slate’s singlehood and eventual motherhood, having a baby during a global pandemic and then being expected to carry on like everything was normal. But, she wonders in these funny, heartfelt essays, had she (or anything) ever been normal?

Twenty-five years after the publication of his groundbreaking first book, Malcolm Gladwell’s newest volume reframes the lessons of The Tipping Point. Through a series of stories, he traces the rise of a new and troubling form of social engineering. From rediscovering a forgotten television show from the ‘70s that changed the world to visiting the site of a historic experiment on a tiny cul-de-sac in northern California, Revenge of the Tipping Point is Gladwell’s most personal book yet and a guide to making sense of the contagions of the modern world.

As relationship norms continue to evolve, the public discourse about marriage has never been more all over the place. In I Do (I Think), New York Times best-selling author (I Hate Everyone But You), mental health advocate, relationship expert and comedian Allison Raskin draws on research, interviews with licensed experts and the stories of real-life couples to make the leap of faith a little less scary for Gen Z and millennial adults like herself. Expect a thoughtful investigation into our cultural assumptions about commitment, compatibility, divorce, the future of marriage—and what it really means to join your bank accounts.

The latest from best-selling author Paula Hawkins (The Girl on the Train) is set on an isolated Scottish island that’s only accessible to the mainland twelve hours a day. It’s been 20 years since an infamous artist whose unfaithful husband disappeared after visiting her on the island, and a new discovery intimately connects three people and threatens a carefully concealed secret. For readers of Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith, The Blue Hour asks questions about ambition, power, gender and perception.

Like experimental storytelling? Remember You Will Die is made up entirely of obituaries that ricochet through time. Told through the eyes of Peregrine, an AI mother grappling with the unexpected death of her human daughter, this genre-bending novel is about the messy tapestry of human history and the threads that connect us. Spanning continents, centuries and planets, it’s a fascinating examination of generations entwined through blood and art and the consequences of their actions, betrayals and redemptions.

Hollywood isn’t nice to women like Diana, but that hasn’t stopped her from being unabashedly queer, plus-sized and determined to make award-winning movies. And she was so close to her goal when grief came and shattered Diana’s directorial dreams. Now living in the suburbs with her sister and kids, she gets a pity invite to a gala full of Hollywood’s elite, where she attracts the attention of a famous action star. The unexpected pairing shocks their friends–and the tabloids–and for the first time in her life, Diana’s possibilities seem endless. She finally has the chance to create unforgettable films and to inspire everyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t belong, but fame always comes with a cost…and Diana’s going to have to go completely off-script to make her dreams come true.